One Present = Two Gifts

A few posts ago I blogged about Trade as One, the fair trade organization that helps lift people out of cycles of poverty and abuse by helping them earn a living wage for their hand-crafts. I love this idea so much--what could be better than a gift blessing two people for the price of one? My loved one gets a beautiful and useful gift, and the third-world laborer who hand-crafted the item can support his or her family. Many of the women who are crafting goods for Trade as One are former sex workers; fair trade opportunities like this give them a rare chance to get out.

Now tonight--once again following the link trail from blog to blog while nursing E--I came upon another cool way to make a Christmas gift give twice: the Sugarplum Boutique makes the most adorable hair bows, knitted beanies, etc. and all the profits go to support orphans and help get them into loving homes!*

Look at this beanie--what's not to love?!

And if you visit the website by Tuesday evening, you can enter to win a gift certificate to the Sugarplum Boutique!

*If you are not sure if helping other people adopt kids is on your priority list, please just take a quick peek at some of the blogs I have added to the lower right-hand sidebar, or watch this. There are kids all over the world who will never have families, who will literally waste away in institutions or end up begging on the roadsides because of their "special needs." In America, every orphan, disabled or not, has opportunities and can live a good life--in many other countries, this is just not the case. Many of these kids are saved through international adoption--which can cost up to $30,000.